The present disclosure relates generally to sunlight blocking devices and, more particularly, to a self-adjusting, automatic sun visor and solar shade system for vehicles that determines the blocking needs of an individual driver.
One traditional way of shading a driver""s eyes from sunlight is through a manually operated sun visor attached to the interior headliner of a vehicle. The sun visor may be manually folded downward and positioned to shield the driver""s eyes from sunlight shining in through the front windshield. Typically, the sun visor may also pivot with respect to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle so that the driver can use the visor to block sunlight that is shining in the driver side door window. In either case, however, the driver must manually position the visor. Moreover, a manual visor does not function to block out sunlight shining through the vehicle""s passenger side front windshield or side door. Thus, in order to shade out the light from that area, a driver has to manually position the passenger side sun visor.
Mechanically activated sun visor devices have also been developed. One such device includes a motorized sun visor that can be activated and positioned by the driver pressing an actuator button. The visor itself is made of material that is rolled onto a drum that is connected to a motor. Depending on the commands inputted by the driver, the motor causes the visor material to be unrolled or rolled up. With such a system, however, there is no way of automatically positioning the sun visor based on the quantity of light contacting the driver""s eyes. In addition, the system does not provide a way of blocking sunlight that is entering through the driver or passenger side windows of the vehicle.
Still another device that has been developed describes an electronically controlled visor that uses liquid crystal pixels configured inside of the window to shade out sunlight. The visor is activated by a light sensor that detects the angle and incidence of light. When the pixels are activated they will shade out some of the light while still allowing the visor to be transparent.
In an exemplary embodiment, an automatic sun visor system for a vehicle includes a light detecting apparatus for detecting sunlight incident upon the face of an occupant of the vehicle. A microcontroller receives a control signal from the light detecting apparatus, and an adjustable sun visor receives a darkening control signal from the microcontroller. The darkening control signal activates the adjustable sun visor in response to the degree of sunlight detected.
In another embodiment, an automatic sun visor system for a vehicle includes at least one infrared camera aimed toward the headrest of the driver""s seat of the vehicle. A microcontroller is connected to the at least one infrared camera, and a first sun visor is connected to the microcontroller. The first sun visor is capable of shading light shining in through the driver side of the front windshield. In addition, a second sun visor is connected to the microcontroller, and is capable of shading light shining in through the passenger side of the front windshield.
In still another embodiment, a method for automatically operating a vehicle sun visor includes detecting the amount of light shining through the windows of the vehicle and onto the face of a vehicle occupant. The detected amount of light is compared to a desired reference amount, and a control signal is applied to adjust the vehicle sun visor such that the actual amount of light incident onto the face of the vehicle occupant is in agreement with the desired reference amount of light.